Old, dark brood comb

[kopeck]

So I've got a bunch of old brood comb I'm cutting out of old frames that I'm going to recycle. All of it's old and dark, pretty dry, some with mouse damage all kind of dusty.

I've got a 5 gallon pail of it now and I'm not really sure what I should do with it. Is it worth melting down, or would I be better of just disposing of it?

Thanks,

K

[okb]

Melt it and filter it you'll be suprised.

[Walliebee]

Treat it with Bt to keep the moths off it, and put it in swarm traps. I feel that dark old comb will draw a swarm easier than any other method. Add a bit of lemon grass oil so the scouts can easier sell the idea of the new location to the swarm.

[okb]

That works too.

[Ravenseye]

If you don't need it for swarm traps, melt it down. You'll get a bunch of crap, but good wax as well. Like okb says, you'll be surprised. I tossed about 5 boxes of horrible looking comb that had been wax mothed into my solar melter, ran it through cheesecloth and got some great, yellow wax out of it all.

[Tom Too]

"Treat it with Bt to keep the moths off it..."
What's Bt

[kopeck]

Treat it with Bt to keep the moths off it, and put it in swarm traps. I feel that dark old comb will draw a swarm easier than any other method. Add a bit of lemon grass oil so the scouts can easier sell the idea of the new location to the swarm.

I kept some of the better stuff out to reuse on a package I'm getting in a couple of weeks. I'm also going to save a frame or two for a swarm trap I'm going to set out.

The stuff I'm cutting out is a real mess. I'll melt it down and strain it. I need to convince my wife to make some candles. Those $20 dollar store jobs add up quick! :-P

Thanks,

K

[Walliebee]

"Treat it with Bt to keep the moths off it..."
What's Bt?



Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a Gram-positive, soil dwelling bacterium of the genus Bacillus.
Upon sporulation, B. thuringiensis forms crystals of proteinaceous insecticidal endotoxins.

These toxins have specific activities that kill the larveal stage in species of moths and butterflies, flies, mosquitoes and beetles. Honeybees are not affected by Bt.

Bt aizawai is the stran that best kills wax moth larve.

Sundance sells it here:

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=203563

[Mabe]

After you've gotten all the wax possible out of it, you could compost it or vermicompost it. We also give the worms or compost pile the deadout bees. Just another sustainable beekeeping practice. You could put little signs on all of your hives... we recycle ourselves.

Ok, enough coffee!

Mabe